Public health surveillance

Public health surveillance is the systematic collection of health data for analysis and interpretation. It is essential to inform health planning, policy and services, and to evaluate if our responses to health problems are effective.

At the Kirby Institute, we are experts in the collection and analysis of health data and we produce a series of surveillance reports on infectious diseases in Australia. These are produced in close partnership with the Australian Government Department of Health and the health departments in all states and territories.

We have also produced the Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey National Data Report for more than 20 years. This survey collects information on HIV and hepatitis C, as well as sexual and injecting risk behaviours among people who inject drugs. The data from the report has provided essential information to support and improve the availability of needle and syringe programs in Australia as an essential part of the strategy to reduce the spread of infectious disease in these populations.